The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1887-02-16

into mist, and the light shone full on, and
tinted with silver the black hair and head of
the culprit, and there came from the forest
the loud, sharp crash of rifle, which cut
through the air with an ominous whiz,
One could see the horse turn and suddenly
stop, the rider throw up his arms in wild de-
spair or pain, and then fall backward to the
ground with a thud that shook the earth and
made even the followers of Judge Lynch
tremble. There was an instantaneous rush
OF the mob to where the body was lying i'll
the road, and il was picked up and laid upon
the sidewalk for inspection The inquest was
short, as the fitful light Of the lanterns showed
that a hole had been made in his head wide
enough to let out BiIls wretched life, and the
half closed eyes looked colder and crueler
than ever.
Dead and no mistake chr" was the eager
inquiry, a. each constituent of Judge I-ynch's
court examined and assured himself that the
peoples mandate had been perfectly executed
And then they dispersed as swiftly and as
trackleSsly a flock Of birds at the sound Of
n hunters shot. They disappeared as if by
magic, and left only the sheriff his horse,
Long Jim anil a couple of bystanders. The
cOllOguy which followed was amusing as wei.
as Instructive.
Sheriff still rubbing his head and sizing
the bump on the back OF il with his fingers
Yes, sneak away like lot of thievesi !
know YOU. See if don't fill the county Jail
with hatch of you devils before long This
is murder in the first degree, and my evil
dence will hang somebody. 1 say, Jim, did
you hit me.
Long Jim still caressing his rifie)-Not yet
GeOrgey.
Sherff-NO; and you'd better not COM
mence, tell yer. You had better stink away
with the rest. This was murder, and don't
you forget it, Bill was entitled 10 n fair trial
and justice.
Long Jim (scornfully)-Fair trial and jus
ticei
SheriT-Yes, a fair trial and Justice
by c.
Long Jim-Where do you git them thingsi
Not i'll your legal circus, old boy. You kin
get lawyers jaw and ledge Wagglewaggle.
Justice. Nary justice. Now. Georgy, just
close up your head mean the front Of it.
Go and get the coroner, and don't tell what
yer don't know-do you mind.
left Long Jim laying down the law, and
the sheriff listening, and l judge that the ar
gument used WAS convincing. for the papers a
day or two afterward announced the verdict
of the coroner "justifiable homicide. while
escaping from the sheriff and his posse"
As passed the spot where the victim was
lying, the pitiable pathos of the silent figure
was increased by the woman that bent above
il, and sObbed "Oh, Bill" and kissed the
knotted fingers that had often struck her in
anger But human justice has this trait with
the divine, that it makes the innocent suffer
for the sins Of the guilty
This Is the only time I ever met Judge
Lynch, ami must admit that the meeting,
although short, was impressive, and | never
see one of those judges which political con
ventOns furnish shutting and trfling with
the scales of justice-slipping his fls,e - down
upon the beam-but | fancy l see behind hin
the court pageant of that other itinerant
judge-with his rope and unerring rifle
mean Judge Lynch.-Henry Hooper i'll Gin
cinnati Commercial Gazette